In an age of sophisticated computer software that can calculate a hifalutin statistical outcome which only a few mathematical geniuses can understand, one can forget the value of other ways to knowing about peoples and cultures anywhere in the world. In volume 3, issue 2 of the Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities (JPAC), however, we are reminded of the importance of plain, everyday communication between…
This video is one of the more unusual ones I’ve seen when it comes to Amish singing. This group, described as “Amish youth”, are singing in an “English” church. It’s also clearly a mixed group of Amish from different communities. A commenter states that “this is a diversified group of Amish. Some Old Order PA Amish and regular Old Order Amish.” I’m not sure what…
An Amishman in the Geauga County, Ohio settlement has permanently lost vision in one eye after teens hurled an egg at his buggy. This was apparently part of a spree in which they threw dozens of eggs at different buggies. From Fox8: GEAUGA COUNTY (WJW) — Geauga County sheriff officials charged four teens with assault after an Amish man was hit in the face with…
Earlier this week we launched a new site design. This is the first update in many years, and probably long overdue. To be frank, I usually never love when sites that I’m used to go and change their design. But in this case, I think the changes should make the site more user-friendly – and I hope more pleasant for you, the readers. The previous…
We recently heard a rendition of the song “On the Winning Side” by a New Order Amish youth group. Here’s another nice Amish singing video by P. Thomas, from that same gathering. It turns out he actually recorded a number of songs from this particular singing (which you can find on his channel). I chose this group’s rendition of “‘Tis Marvelous and Wonderful” to share…
I want to share a set of photos with you today taken by Don Burke in an Amish schoolhouse in Missouri. This great set of shots shows a lot of detail inside a school in a fairly progressive Amish community. Even though I describe the community as “fairly progressive”, much of what you’ll see here has a quite old-fashioned look about it. Amish schools tend…
A suspect in a Chicago murder was just found in LaGrange, Indiana. That small town is the seat of LaGrange County, where you’ll find the third-largest Amish settlement in the world. From WGNTV: LAGRANGE, Ind. — A man charged with a Christmas murder of a 21-year-old on the South Side was arrested Monday in Northern Indiana’s Amish country. Bunmi Adeoye, 35, was charged with first-degree…
Here’s the video version of the recent post on the “driverless” Amish buggy incident in New York. If you missed that one, you can read it here. In the video I elaborate on some thoughts from that post, and share some footage from the WWNY news report. I did this video in a bit different style than the norm. It’s mainly me talking to you…
This news is sparse, but it’s being reported that an Amish school burned to the ground in Kentucky last night. Via wkdzradio.com: An Amish school on Fentress Lane was destroyed in a fire late Wednesday night. Herndon firefighters say the building was fully engulfed in flames when they arrived just after 11 p.m. No one was injured in the fire and the cause was unknown….
In this video, I answer some questions on the Amish and dating (or “courting”, though that’s not quite the same thing), thanks to info from Karen Johnson-Weiner’s book The Lives of Amish Women. I share a couple of excerpts from the book, which provide answers to the following: Can Amish girls ask boys out for dates? What do Amish feel is the purpose of courtship?…